🎨 A Day in the City: My Visit to the Better Homes & Gardens Plaid Pop-Up Café

Hello, hello, hello, friends — Teresa here from Teresa’s Spot for Art!
You know me: I love a good creative adventure, and a few weeks ago, I traded my paintbrushes for a tote bag and hopped the Long Island Railroad straight into New York City for something totally different — the Better Homes & Gardens Plaid Pop-Up Café.

And let me tell you... it did not disappoint. Free coffee, amazing swag, celebrity guest, and so many inspiring little details that made my creative heart happy.

✨ The Journey: Long Island to Canal Street

If you know anything about me, you know I’m a paper-and-pen kind of girl. I still love magazines, planners, and good old-fashioned to-do lists — no digital calendar can replace the feeling of flipping through crisp pages with a pen in hand. So when I saw Better Homes & Gardens (yes, the magazine I’ve been reading for over 30 years!) was hosting a pop-up event in THE city, I was all in.

After a cozy Long Island Rail Road train ride into Manhattan, I took the subway down to Canal Street and followed the buzz straight to the Plaid Pop-Up Café. Picture this: cheerful staff, cozy décor, red plaid details everywhere, nostalgic BHG memorbilia and people walking out smiling with the biggest tote bags you’ve ever seen.

☕ Coffee, Candles, and Kristen Kish

The event itself felt like a creative wonderland. We started with coffee and treats, and then — highlight of the day — I got to see Kristen Kish, the host of Top Chef! She signed her book, Accidentally on Purpose, for all of us (I can’t wait to read it), she prepared ham salad- who knew - and she even shared her favorite food — mayonnaise! um- WHAT?

Kristen made a delicious ham salad on little rolls with pickles, and yes, we sampled it. Perfection.

Click on any image to be taken to the Unbagging of the Swag on my Youtube! 

🎁 The Swag Bag of Dreams

Now let’s talk about this swag bag, because oh my goodness… Better Homes & Gardens went all out.

Here’s what was inside:

• Kristen Kish’s new book, Accidentally on Purpose

• Dove body wash (a full-size bottle!)

• Sherwin-Williams 2026 Color of the Year: Universal Khaki peel-and-stick paint samples

• A fresh flower bouquet (yes, real flowers!)

• A salted coconut mahogany candle — it smells heavenly

• McCormick vanilla extract (some people got different spices!)

• Command Hooks — because it was a pop-up, and of course they hung everything with them

• A tinted lip balm from Lano Lips

• A Charleston, South Carolina visitors guide (maybe my next creative road trip?)

• A framed mini print from the vending machine — mine featured Hellmann’s, complete with artwork by Anna Ink

• A full-length Better Homes & Gardens apron — and if you know me, you know I collect aprons, so this made my day

• The brand-new 100th Anniversary Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook, courtesy of Hellmann’s

And it all came inside the cutest embroidered tote bag — we even got to pick our design from Adobe Embroidery’s setup. I went with one that felt classic and cozy (because obviously). a Coffee Cup! 

🌸 Creative Nostalgia Everywhere

The pop-up was pure nostalgia mixed with modern charm. There were vintage magazine covers displayed on the walls, a photo collage celebrating 100 years of Better Homes & Gardens, and so many design touches that made you feel like you were walking through the pages of the magazine itself.

It reminded me why I’ve loved BHG for decades — that mix of creativity, comfort, and homemaking joy. It’s the same feeling I try to bring into my own art studio and my classes: the idea that beauty doesn’t have to be fancy. It just has to be yours.

💛 My Favorite Takeaways

By the time I lugged my slightly heavy but totally worth it tote bag back onto the subway, my heart was full. I met some amazing people, connected with a few creative souls, and left feeling refreshed and inspired — exactly what we all need once in a while.

Here’s what this trip reminded me of:

• Creativity shows up everywhere, even in the simple details — like a plaid napkin or a beautifully packaged cookbook.

• Community matters. Events like this remind us that people still crave connection — not just screens.

• Never stop being curious. Whether it’s a new paint color or a celebrity chef’s twist on ham salad, little moments spark big inspiration.

If you ever get the chance to attend a pop-up like this — go! It’s worth every step, subway transfer, and tote bag strap mark on your shoulder.

Now tell me in the comments — are you a paper person like me, or do you keep your life digital?

Until next time, keep creating, stay curious, and find beauty in the everyday. 💛

— Teresa XO
Teresa’s Spot for Art